In the first four months of 2026, Rijeka strengthened its status as a year-round urban destination
In the period from 1 January to 30 April 2026, Rijeka continued its positive tourism trend and confirmed a stable position among Croatian urban destinations in the pre-season. According to tourism data for the first four months of the year, the city recorded 121,584 overnight stays, which is 2 percent more than in the same period of 2025. At the same time, 48,805 arrivals were recorded, so Rijeka's tourism traffic continues to develop toward shorter, more frequent stays motivated by specific content. Such a result is important because it relates to the part of the year that traditionally precedes the main summer season, when a destination's success is increasingly measured by its ability to attract guests outside July and August.
According to eVisitor system data published at the national level by the Croatian National Tourist Board, Croatia recorded 2.34 million arrivals and 6.52 million overnight stays in the period from January to April 2026, with growth in total overnight stays compared with the same period of the previous year. Within that broader framework, Rijeka is profiling itself as a destination that does not rely exclusively on a classic summer holiday, but on a combination of urban attractions, culture, business travel, transit, gastronomy, events and shorter individual trips. The CNTB data also show that Kvarner was the second strongest tourism region in the first four months of 2026 by number of overnight stays, immediately behind Istria, which gives Rijeka's results additional regional context.
Foreign guests still account for the majority of traffic, while domestic demand is growing faster
Of the total 121,584 overnight stays recorded in Rijeka in the first four months of 2026, foreign tourists accounted for 87,674 overnight stays, or 72 percent of total tourism traffic. Domestic tourists recorded 33,910 overnight stays, with growth of 10 percent compared with the same period of 2025. Such a ratio shows that Rijeka retains strong international visibility, but also that the domestic market has an increasingly important role in pre-season traffic. The growth of domestic overnight stays is particularly important for the stability of the destination because domestic guests often travel outside the main seasonal peaks and can contribute to a more even use of accommodation and hospitality capacities throughout the year.
In the structure of arrivals, foreign tourists recorded 30,588 arrivals, while domestic arrivals numbered 18,217. The average length of stay was 2.87 days for foreign tourists and 1.86 days for domestic tourists. These indicators confirm Rijeka's character as a city break destination, that is, a city often visited for shorter stays connected with events, business obligations, cultural content, tours of Kvarner or onward travel to other destinations. For this type of destination, a constant offer throughout the whole year is crucial, not only a seasonal concentration of content.
The most overnight stays were recorded by guests from Italy, Germany and Austria
Among foreign markets in Rijeka's results for the first four months of 2026, Italy stands out the most with 10,245 overnight stays. It is followed by Germany with 7,017 overnight stays, Austria with 6,144, Bosnia and Herzegovina with 5,654, and the United States of America and Serbia with 5,198 overnight stays each. Significant traffic was also achieved by guests from Slovenia with 5,006 overnight stays, Hungary with 3,671 and Spain with 3,101 overnight stays. Such a structure shows a combination of traditionally close source markets and more distant markets that are important for urban destinations, especially when it comes to cultural, business and individual travel.
The proximity of Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia gives Rijeka an advantage in the pre-season because these markets enable arrivals by car, bus or shorter air and rail connections toward the region. At the same time, the presence of guests from the United States of America and Spain points to broader interest in Rijeka as an urban destination, especially among travelers who do not experience Croatia only through seaside resorts but also through its urban, cultural and historical offer. According to announcements by the Rijeka Tourist Board, the motives for visits include city architecture, the cultural atmosphere, Trsat Castle, museums and the city's position between the sea and the hinterland.
Younger travelers make up the largest share of overnight stays
The age structure of guests shows that Rijeka attracts younger audiences particularly strongly. The largest share of overnight stays was recorded by guests aged 19 to 30, with 31,845 overnight stays, which makes up 26.19 percent of total traffic in the observed period. They are followed by guests aged 41 to 50 with 23,980 overnight stays and the group aged 31 to 40 with 23,067 overnight stays. Such a distribution indicates that Rijeka successfully combines elements important to different generations of travelers: accessibility, the cultural scene, events, urban identity, gastronomy, coastal content and the possibility of shorter stays.
In tourism terms, the share of younger guests is important because this segment often relies on flexible travel planning, digital information and authentic urban content. For cities such as Rijeka, this means that the tourism offer does not have to be based exclusively on classic package arrangements, but also on individual arrivals, events, concerts, exhibitions, sports activities, gastronomic recommendations and short itineraries. It is precisely such a combination that can contribute to strengthening the city's visibility in the pre-season and post-season, when competitive advantage is increasingly built on content and less on the mere fact that the destination is on the coast.
Private accommodation and hotels carry the largest part of Rijeka's traffic
In the accommodation structure, the largest share of Rijeka's overnight stays in the first four months of 2026 was recorded in private accommodation. In that category, 56,402 overnight stays were recorded, or 46.39 percent of total traffic. Hotels recorded 47,202 overnight stays, which makes up 38.82 percent of Rijeka's tourism traffic. Other forms of accommodation, including hostels and non-commercial accommodation, accounted for a smaller part of total traffic, but they are important for the diversity of the offer and for different profiles of travelers coming to the city.
This structure shows that Rijeka is developing both the hotel and private segments in the pre-season at the same time. For business guests, organized groups and part of shorter urban stays, hotels remain an important channel, while private accommodation attracts individual travelers, younger guests, couples, families and visitors seeking a more flexible form of stay. According to CNTB data for April 2026, Rijeka was among the ten leading Croatian destinations in the family accommodation segment, with 15,725 overnight stays in that month. For visitors planning a shorter stay in the city, it is useful to check accommodation offers in Rijeka, especially during periods of stronger events and long weekends.
Rijeka among the leading destinations in family accommodation
According to data from the Croatian National Tourist Board for April 2026, Rijeka ranked 8th among Croatian destinations in the family accommodation category, ranked by number of overnight stays. Ahead of it in that category were Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb, Zadar, Rovinj, Pula and Umag, while Poreč and Kaštela remained behind Rijeka. In the same monthly report, the CNTB also states that Rijeka was among the ten leading destinations in April by traffic in non-commercial accommodation, which further shows that tourism movement in the city takes place through several types of accommodation capacities.
For the January-April 2026 period, data from the original report for Rijeka state that the city achieved a high 5th place in the overall ranking of tourism traffic. Such a result should be viewed in the context of an urban destination that does not have the same seasonal profile as large seaside resorts, but has an advantage in year-round tourism. In this segment, Rijeka relies on city events, cultural institutions, transport accessibility, its position in Kvarner and increasingly pronounced recognizability among travelers seeking a combination of city, sea and local experience.
Kvarner remains a strong regional framework
The broader tourism context confirms that Rijeka is developing within one of Croatia's strongest tourism regions. According to the Croatian National Tourist Board report for April 2026, Kvarner recorded 354,476 arrivals and 1,054,138 overnight stays in the period from January to April. Only Istria was ahead of Kvarner, while behind it by number of overnight stays followed Split-Dalmatia County, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, the City of Zagreb and Zadar County. CNTB data also show that Kvarner recorded growth in total overnight stays in the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025.
Rijeka's result is therefore not isolated, but is part of a broader movement in which Kvarner maintains a strong position in the pre-season. Within that region, Rijeka differs from distinctly holiday-oriented destinations because it has a stronger urban, business and transit character. This enables it to attract guests even in periods when the bathing motive is not decisive. In practice, this means that the city's tourism offer can function as an independent reason for arrival, but also as a starting point for visiting Opatija, the islands, Rijeka's hinterland and other Kvarner locations.
The pre-season is increasingly important for a more sustainable distribution of tourism traffic
The tourism results for the first four months of 2026 fit into the longer-term goal of strengthening traffic outside the main season. According to CNTB data, in the January-April 2026 period, most overnight stays at the national level were recorded in commercial accommodation facilities, and within the commercial segment hotel accommodation had the largest share. In April, according to the same source, the domestic market achieved the largest share of total overnight stays at the national level, followed by the Slovenian and German markets. This is important for Rijeka because its pre-season relies precisely on a combination of domestic demand and nearby European markets.
Growth in the pre-season brings tourism destinations more than just an increase in the number of overnight stays. A more even distribution of traffic can help hospitality, the accommodation sector, cultural institutions, transport and local services operate more stably throughout the year. For cities such as Rijeka, this is particularly important because tourism traffic does not burden only the coast, but spills over to museums, restaurants, city districts, public transport, excursions and events. At the same time, shorter stays require constant quality of information, a clear offer and good availability of content in all months, not only at the tourism peak.
The city break profile requires content throughout the whole year
The average length of stay of 2.87 days for foreign guests and 1.86 days for domestic guests clearly shows that Rijeka's tourism in the observed period is not based on long holidays. These are stays that most often include a weekend, a long weekend, a business trip, an event or a shorter tour of the city and its surroundings. Such a profile can be an advantage because it enables more frequent arrivals by different groups of guests, but at the same time it requires constant renewal and clear communication of tourism content. A city that wants to retain city break guests must offer a reason to arrive outside the main season as well.
In that sense, Rijeka has several elements that set it apart: the historical core, Korzo, Trsat, museums, industrial heritage, port identity, gastronomic content and its position at the meeting point of the sea and Rijeka's hinterland. According to earlier announcements by the Rijeka Tourist Board, cultural events, gastronomy, the urban scene and transport connectivity have been recognized as elements that contribute to strengthening the city's tourism position. For visitors coming for events, city sightseeing or a shorter holiday, accommodation near Rijeka's center can be a practical choice because it shortens travel time between the main city attractions.
Indicators point to a stable continuation of the year
Based on the results so far, it can be expected that Rijeka will continue to develop tourism in the segment of shorter stays, individual travel and pre-season arrivals during the rest of 2026. Such an assessment stems from the achieved growth in overnight stays, good placement in the family accommodation segment, the stable presence of foreign markets and the growth of domestic demand. Still, the final result of the year will depend on a range of factors, including the schedule of events, transport accessibility, price competitiveness, weather conditions, the situation in source markets and general economic circumstances.
In the first four months of 2026, Rijeka showed that it can generate tourism traffic outside the classic summer peak as well. Compared with destinations that rely to a greater extent on the bathing season, Rijeka's profile is different: the city combines business, transit, cultural, gastronomic and leisure segments. It is precisely this diversity that can be the basis for further growth, provided that the tourism offer continues to develop as a year-round system, and not only as a supplement to the main season. The results up to the end of April show that such a direction already has measurable effects.
Sources:
- Rijeka Tourist Board / Visit Rijeka – announcement on Rijeka's tourism results at the beginning of 2026 and data from the eVisitor system (link)
- City of Rijeka – announcement on Rijeka's placement among the ten tourism destinations in Croatia at the beginning of 2026 (link)
- Croatian National Tourist Board – Information on statistical indicators of tourism traffic for April 2026 and the January-April 2026 period (link)
- Croatian National Tourist Board – page with monthly information on the course of the tourism year and available documents for April 2026 (link)
- Croatian Bureau of Statistics – release on tourist arrivals and overnight stays in commercial accommodation in March 2026 and the first quarter of 2026 (link)